Student+Lead+Conferences

From all of my learning this year as part of this project, I have concluded that without the teacher fostering positive relations and developing shared expectations student learning will not be maximised. Engaging students within their learning stimulates interest and curiosity and will better prepare them for goal setting and knowing what is their next step for learning. The e5 capability ENGAGE is an important factor to consider when planning for student lead conferences. At this stage, we are planning that our 2011 curriculum days at the beginning of the school year will be the starting point of a 6 month journey towards our goal of students leading their learning by presenting to parents/carers at our July 2011 sessions.

But before we go forward, let's step back a bit. Our TPL project is designed around personalizing learning. Like learning and teaching, we cannot plan for learning until we know what students need and know. Assessment is the key to this. For our students to effectively goal set and be equipped to know what their next steps of learning will be, we must give them the appropriate skills and strategies. This will support them to achieve their learning goals, in line with curriculum standards.

Below is an overview of student lead conferences taken from Croydon Secondary School. We will use a variety of their templates in conjunction with the e5 ENGAGE and EVALUATE capabilities.

__**Student Led Conferences **__ Purpose: Student led conferences aim to achieve one or more of the following goals

• to encourage students to accept personal responsibility for their academic performance; • to teach students the process of self-evaluation; • to facilitate the development of students’ organizational and oral communication skills and to increase their self-confidence; • to encourage students, parents, and teachers to engage in open and honest dialogue; • to increase parent attendance at conferences

Preparation It cannot be assumed that all students will possess the self-confidence, organizational skills, and communication skills necessary to lead a successful conference.

Teachers need to spend time with students in a dialogue about the purpose of a student-led conference, discuss how to lead the conference and develop a generic agenda, assist them with collecting and preparing information to be shared with parents and describe how to explain and interpret any information to be shared. Teachers need to ensure that the required equipment (computer/data projector) and space is ready for the conference. Teachers need to decide whether students will know their “Grade” for the semester.

Students must be allowed sufficient time to prepare their conference. This includes systematically reviewing their progress and recording it, preparing their portfolio, completing any documentation required and rehearsing their script and presentation.

In …………… I am most pleased with…………I am most pleased with…… Overall my I would describe my progress as………….. My short term goal is……….
 * Students may prepare comments on their work in written or audio form and place them on their Digital Portfolio.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Students gather non digital artefacts for their presentation
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Students can prepare a generic scripts for each area to be highlighted eg

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|How do I see Myself], [|Work habits self assessment], [|quality learning capacities], <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|HOM1], [|HOM2], [|HOM3], [|HOM4]
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Students can prepare a generic statement of their performance overall. eg


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Students may also have completed Multiple intelligence surveys and placed them on their Ultranet spaces. See examples on Foundation/personal learning


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Students need to prepare next semesters goals

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Parents should be notified of the new conferencing format, and it should be clearly explained that the student will be in charge and the teacher will serve as a facilitator. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Students could be involved in preparing an “invitation” to their parents for the conference.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Conference a Possible agenda
 * 1) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Introduce parents to teacher
 * 2) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Explain how the conference will run. (When will questions be taken?)
 * 3) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Start with personal learning goals for the last semester. (Ideally these would be documented on the Digital portfolio on the personal learning page)
 * 4) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Present and discuss progress in particular areas. (Referring to digital portfolio or other artefacts and reflections on work as evidence). Students may need to explain the A to E scale and the essential learning standards upon which progress is based. (The digital portfolio provides links to VCAA)


 * 1) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Present and discuss overall generic learning analysis (use one or more of the instruments listed above also placed this on digital portfolio in PL)
 * 2) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Summarise progress made this term with 3 best achievements, 2 things that need improvement.
 * 3) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">State learning goals for the next semester. Ensure these are formally recorded and later put into digital portfolio
 * 4) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Invite discussion about what might be needed to achieve those goals.
 * 5) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ask parents for any questions or comments on your academic progress and on the presentation.
 * 6) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ask parents to assess the digital portfolio (in 2011 their Ultranet spaces) itself using [|‘Portfolio assessment rubric’]
 * 7) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Thank everyone for coming.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">After the conference <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Complete the [|post conference reflection] form and place this in the communication domain of the digital portfolio or on their Ultranet spaces.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Other relevant docs

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Student led conference [|Student Checklist] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Student led conference[|Teacher checklist] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Student led conference Template for [|subject scripts]

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Self assessment Foundation studies level 4.0] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Self assessment Foundation Studies level 5.0]